


Guessing Game

by wordsarelifealways



Series: Isak with Asperger's [3]
Category: SKAM (TV)
Genre: Discussion of mental illness, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Isak with Asperger's, M/M, discussion of ignorant remarks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-10
Updated: 2017-09-10
Packaged: 2018-12-26 02:14:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12049191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wordsarelifealways/pseuds/wordsarelifealways
Summary: Isak is mad at his manager after she commented on his autism and Even shares his similar experiences





	Guessing Game

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on something that happened to me at work this week and I just had to channel my annoyance by writing a ficlet (and as always it got a bit longer than I anticipated)

Isak hated that he was still in a bad mood when Even came home, but the new manager at work had really taken it out of him and he really would prefer to just lay there in bed until he had to go to work again tomorrow.

“Isak?” Even peered over him to see if he was awake and Isak gave him a weak smile.

“Hey, babe.” Isak leaned up tiredly and shared a soft sweet hello kiss with boyfriend before Even was flopping down next to him on the bed.

“What’s up?  Long day?” Even asked as they arranged themselves in their usual cuddling position.  For a split second, Isak wasn’t sure if it was worth telling Even about his day but he quickly squashed that thought.  His life wasn’t like that now; now he actually _had_ people who wanted to know if something happened that bothered him.

“You know I told you there’s a new manager at work?” Isak prompted as he tucked his head under Even’s chin, the safest place in his whole world.

“Yeah, the one who was way too interested in getting to know everyone?” Even replied with a frown and Isak nodded, because that was indeed the lady he was talking about.

“Well, today she called everyone in one at a time to just go over our files and our health declaration and stuff.” Isak fiddled with a loose thread on the hem on Even’s shirt because he didn’t feel up to looking at Even’s face yet.

“Okay?” Even’s hand came up to Isak’s back and began rubbing slowly and surely up and down and second by second Isak felt himself relax.

“So she called me in and I sat down and she was way too friendly.” Isak rolled his eyes.

“As always.” Even commented, and it warmed something in Isak’s soul to realise that Even really listened to him when he talked about his day.

“Right?  Anyway, she got to my health declaration and you know I put my autism down on there when I started because I wasn’t sure if they’d want to know that or not?” Isak reminded him and Even nodded, probably remembering all the back-and-forth Isak had done when he got given that form about whether or not to write it down.

_“You aren’t defined by being autistic, Is.” Even had kept saying._

_“I_ know _that, Even, but it does have some impacts on my work!  Like eye contact and the tone of my voice and stuff.” Isak was pacing back and forth across their tiny living room nervously.  “That shit matters when you work customer service.  I should put it down, right?”_

_“If you think so.” Even nodded encouragingly._

_“But it’s a_ health _declaration; I don’t think autism is part of my health it’s just part of my brain.  That’s not what the form is asking for?” Isak threw his hands up in defeat._

It had been a long couple of days for both of them.

“So she looked at my form and you know what she said to me?” Isak felt himself bristling at the memory and it definitely didn’t go unmissed by Even.

“Am I gonna have to go and yell at her?” Even raised an eyebrow, and Isak would have laughed if he thought Even wasn’t 100% serious about going down and chewing Isak’s new manager out.

“I haven’t decided yet.” Isak patted Even’s chest in a way he hoped was placating.

“Okay.” Even dropped a kiss to the top of Isak’s head that warmed him right the way down to the tips of his toes.

“She looked at my form and then looked at me and flat out said ‘I never would have guessed you had autism’ like it was some big compliment or something.  Like being autistic is something terrible and I should be glad to no one would guess it to look at me.” Isak couldn’t help the way he tensed up angrily despite how much he’d rather be soft and cuddly with his boyfriend after a long day at work.

“Wow.  That might be the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.” Even said after a few seconds and Isak sat up quickly so he could look at Even.

“Right?!” He exclaimed, looking down at Even with wide wild eyes.

“It’s such a stupid thing to say to anyone; I’ll never understand it.  Not all conditions are visible.” Even shook his head.  “No wonder you’re so annoyed.” He looked up at Isak with an understanding expression.

“I was too stunned to say anything.  I just nodded and asked if there was anything else and she said no, so I went back to work.” Isak flopped back down on top of Even with a huff.  “I wish I could have snapped out of the shock faster so I could have asked her what autism supposedly ‘looks’ like.” Isak shook his head, beyond annoyed with himself that he had missed his opportunity to point out how stupid his manager sounded.

“Yeah, comments like that always blindside me too.” Even rubbed Isak’s back empathetically.

“People have said it to you too?” Isak looked up at Even from under his lashes, snuggling closer.

“Of course.  Apparently I don’t look like someone with a mental illness.  I was at a job interview once and they told me that I looked like I had everything together and they wouldn’t have thought there was anything wrong with me.” Isak outwardly gasped at that.

“They actually said that?  They used the word _wrong_ with you?” When Even nodded in confirmation Isak’s jaw dropped.

“Wow.  People are stupid.” Was all he could say in response.

“So stupid.” Even nodded.  “I guess people just have this image in their minds that all people with mental illness look like they’re in the middle of a break down all the time, or that you can only be _profoundly_ autistic so they could pick you out of a line up.  It’s just ignorant.  It sucks feeling like we have to educate everyone we meet about our conditions.” Even shook his head, and Isak could tell he was getting all riled up about it.

“You have to wonder how some people end up in management positions when they think like that.” He added and Isak nodded in agreement.

“It just threw me.  And then I felt kind of shitty afterwards because I didn’t say anything, and now I just feel kinda down.” Isak sighed, burrowing himself closer to Even in search of comfort.

“That’s pretty normal.” Even promised, hugging Isak closer.  “Dinner in bed tonight?” He offered and Isak nodded.

Dinner in bed with his boyfriend was the cure for pretty much everything, as far as he was concerned.

***

Over the next week – once the sting had left Isak – it became a running joke between them.

_Oh, I never would have guessed you like using wax instead of hair gel._

_You like tea?  I wouldn’t have thought that from looking at you._

_I had a friend who didn’t like Fifa but he didn’t look anything like you._

And maybe it _was_ petty, but Isak didn’t give a single shit and neither did Even.  If people were _still_ getting away with being so ignorant in 2017 then Isak and Even were allowed to poke fun at their stupidity.

It wasn’t like _either_ of them had the time to call out every single person who said something stupid to them.

So the petty option it was.

**Author's Note:**

> so I know the issue wasn't exactly resolved, but as someone on the spectrum I really don't have the energy to educate every person who says stupid shit about autism and sometimes all you can do is laugh about it. I know it doesn't solve anything, but life isn't perfect and doesn't always have a perfect fanfiction ending.
> 
> (Isak's manager does get into work one day to find a leaflet about autism on her desk though, courtesy of Even, with a note that says "it's 2017; educate yourself before you embarrass yourself even more - E")
> 
> as always you can find this worn out autistic nerd on [tumblr](http://isaksredscarf.tumblr.com) and the rest of the Isak with Asperger's verse is available in [the tag](http://isaksredscarf.tumblr.com/tagged/Isak-with-Asperger's) on my blog


End file.
